New role will focus on ad sales and membership
The board of directors of Highlands Current Inc., which publishes The Highlands Current, this week began the search for a growth director, a newly created position focused on supporting the nonprofit organization’s long-term goal of financial sustainability.
Growth in advertising and in memberships is seen as a prime opportunity to increase revenue, allowing more investment in the core newsgathering that makes The Current so valuable to the community.
“Editor Chip Rowe has done great work managing both the newsroom and the business operations of The Current,” said Todd Haskell, co-vice chair of the board, noting the paper’s designation this year as Newspaper of the Year by the New York Press Association for the third year in a row. “By investing in a growth director to serve as the editor’s peer and partner, we want to create more bandwidth for the editor to oversee the kind of journalism that has made The Current the award-winning newspaper it is, while building a business operation that reflects the maturity of The Current as it enters its 15th year.”
The new role — more details can be found at highlandscurrent.org/current-jobs — will focus on two areas: advertising growth, both in print and on The Current’s website, and membership operations. Working with the advertising director, the role will be responsible for ad sales, developing more frequency-based opportunities for local and regional retailers and expanding outreach into new categories and products.
The growth director will also oversee membership operations, working with the membership manager and the board to expand the number of loyal paying members who serve as the foundation of The Current’s budget. This will include exploring ways to increase membership while also overseeing the administrative functions that are crucial for members to have a rewarding experience.
The board is seeking candidates with experience selling media, establishing a growth strategy and achieving goals. “But, most important,” said Haskell, “we are looking for a sales leader who deeply believes in the importance of local journalism and in the key role The Highlands Current plays in this community.”
Candidates who are interested in the role can submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected].
